APTN News
Jocelyn Wabano-Iahtail was leery coming into the two-day conference on child welfare that wrapped up Friday in Ottawa.
And she’s not heading home from the so-called emergency meeting feeling much better.
“Because I know the Millennium Scoop is ongoing,” said Wabano-Iahtail.
She feels the grassroots were left out of the meetings.
“That’s quite a disappointment,” she said. “I am well aware of the fact that there were many who wanted to attend. This was very secret; is what it seemed to many of us.
“They weren’t given ample opportunity to attend. As well, a lot of our youth were not permitted to attend.”
One politician said work will get underway on community-based solutions.
“The safety of those children is critical but children can be safe with their aunt, with their grandma, they can be safe in community, in a program of kinship care,” said Jane Philpott, minister of Indigenous Services. “So let’s not use safety as an excuse to extract children from their culture.”
“A child is sacred. And when that child comes into the home, the family must welcome it. And if the child is happy and feels the want, he or she will come into this world very, very strong. And not to know this is to know nothing.” Blackfeet saying
There has to be awareness of the past, acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change. Should there be Canadians out there who would like to be part of any attempt to reconcile with any of Canada’s Indigenous peoples then it is expected that these Canadians would spend a little time and effort to learn something about those they wish to reconcile with.
If you think Canada’s Indigenous peoples are delighted, mainstream Canadians are feeling some relief from so much shame and guilt. Still so much of this stuff still lingers and will for the rest of our lives, so I suppose we, as Canadians, should seek ways to find even greater relief. Why not try learning more about the Indigenous peoples. We must find the courage to reach out and start the process of reconciliation.
“A child is sacred. And when that child comes into the home, the family must welcome it. And if the child is happy and feels the want, he or she will come into this world very, very strong. And not to know this is to know nothing.” Blackfeet saying
There has to be awareness of the past, acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change. Should there be Canadians out there who would like to be part of any attempt to reconcile with any of Canada’s Indigenous peoples then it is expected that these Canadians would spend a little time and effort to learn something about those they wish to reconcile with.
If you think Canada’s Indigenous peoples are delighted, mainstream Canadians are feeling some relief from so much shame and guilt. Still so much of this stuff still lingers and will for the rest of our lives, so I suppose we, as Canadians, should seek ways to find even greater relief. Why not try learning more about the Indigenous peoples. We must find the courage to reach out and start the process of reconciliation.